The promises of juice are legion, but you won’t hear them sung over frosty cans of OJ in the frozen-food aisle. Rather, the claims are made on behalf of raw juice, gleaming ruby- or emerald- or tangerine-hued streams of pure goodness that pour health straight into your glass. So prevalent — and many would say, so legitimate — are these claims that they’ve spawned a movement — juicing.

All the hype is balanced by the benefits raw juice does provide. It’s made from fresh fruits and vegetables, and it’s full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. If there’s a downside, it’s the calories and sugar delivered by too much of this good stuff.

Certified nutritionist Jo Schrubbe says drinking juice is a good way to get the eight to 10 servings a day of fruits and veggies recommended by the World Cancer Research Fund, particularly since many Americans now consume only one to three servings a day.

“Juicing might be the easiest way to guarantee that you will reach your daily target of vitamins and minerals. Especially for those who aren’t big into fruits and vegetables,” Schrubbe writes via email.

She cautions going overboard on fruit juice, though.

High in sugar

Sweet fruits and vegetables like watermelon, apples, pears and carrots are very nutritious when eaten whole, but if a person consumes too many of them juiced, the amount of sugar and fructose he or she is getting could be too high.

There are “hidden traps” in juice, she says. “A cup of spinach has seven calories. A cup of carrots 45 calories. A cup of apples 60 calories. A cup of banana 200 calories. Clearly, what you juice matters when it comes to calories. The healthiest idea is to juice vegetables with just enough fruit to sweeten the juice.”

Protein lovers and low-carb fans might try drinking green juices made with leafy greens, broccoli, celery and avocado, which are good sources of vegetable protein. The protein content of juice can be further boosted by adding flax seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, spirulina or pea protein powder, all of which are low carb, Schrubbe writes.

About that green juice . . . Isn’t juice supposed to be orange or red or purple?

“You’ve just got to try it,” she says. “You won’t taste the green.”

Schrubbe makes and drinks juice the first thing in the morning two or three times a week, and her favorite combination is something called Mean Green, which comes from the movie “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.” It contains greens such as kale or spinach, plus celery, cucumber, Granny Smith apple, lemon and ginger root.

Supporting a juice habit might seem costly, given the amount of fruits and veggies it requires — especially if you prefer organic — but Schrubbe says: “Pay now or pay later. Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of the antioxidants that our bodies need for cellular repair, which helps prevent aging and diseases like cancer.”

Wash and coarsely chop ingredients into large pieces. Juice according to manufacturer’s instructions for your juicer.

Remember to rotate the greens (kale, chard, spinach, mustard greens, collards, dandelion, arugula, etc.) in your juice each week to prevent buildup of oxalic acid, which can affect the thyroid gland, and to provide a balanced amount of different vitamins and minerals for your body.

— Courtesy of Jo Schrubbe

Kale Kick

6 stalks celery

6 kale leaves

1 green apple

1-inch piece of fresh ginger

Juice all ingredients.

For added sweetness, add a handful of grapes.

— Champion Juicer

Green Monster Smoothie

12 fluid ounces orange juice

1 apple, cored and quartered

1/2 banana

1 cup kale

1 cup spinach

1 mango, frozen,

1 cup ice cubes

Add ingredients in order listed to blender container. Secure lid and blend.